In 2019, Liverpool collected the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and the World Club Cup. This was an unprecedented ‘world treble’ for the Reds, but back in 2001, the club got its hands on another treble. Three years into Gerard Houllier’s reign as manager, his team lifted three pieces of silverware, procuring the League Cup, the FA Cup and the UEFA Cup. Born in 1995, I was too young to watch or appreciate this marvellous trio of trophies at the time, though have since seen highlights and heard stories of them. I have recently sat down and watched full reruns of the finals (available on YouTube) and the roads to those finals too. You can find my pieces on the League Cup here and the FA Cup here. This is the final part of my story of re-watching the 2001 treble, nineteen years on…
UEFA Cup
Source: liverpoolfc.com
The UEFA Cup, now known as the Europa League, had a different format to the current incarnation of the competition – back then it was straight two-legged knockouts from the start, with no group stage. Liverpool’s first round tie was against Rapid Bucharest and the Reds came through 1-0 aggregate winners, Barmby scoring in Romania after a sumptuous run from Michael Owen before a goalless second leg on Merseyside. Round Two was Slovan Liberec, who Liverpool defeated 1-0 at Anfield thanks to a volley from Emile Heskey, and no thanks to an unbelievably bad penalty from Robbie Fowler that gave me flashbacks to Charlie Adam in the 2012 League Cup. The away following was treated to a 3-2 win in the second leg courtesy of goals from Nick Barmby, Heskey and Owen. Liverpool travelled to Greece to take on Olympiakos in Round Three, with the European scoring maestro Barmby adding another, and a 20-year-old Steven Gerrard getting on the scoresheet. However, the game was drawn 2-2 and Gerard Houllier’s team had work to do at Anfield. Counter-attacking goals from Heskey and Barmby (again!!) sent the Greeks packing and the Reds into the last 16.
Liverpool ventured to Italy for the first leg, where they earned a two-goal lead over Roma with a brace from Owen, the first having Houllier in hysterics after a garbage pass from a Roma defender. Then came a nervy second leg at Anfield. Owen had a penalty saved and with twenty minutes left, Roma – managed by former England boss Fabio Capello – took the lead with a thunderous strike from Gianni Guigou. The referee awarded Roma a penalty for a handball before changing his mind and giving a corner, thank goodness. The Reds held on and faced Porto in the quarters, getting a 0-0 draw in Portugal, before qualifying with a 2-0 home win in the return leg, Danny Murphy and Owen scoring goals that were both assisted by delicious Gerrard crosses.
Barcelona v Liverpool in a European semi, ring any bells? A Barca side featuring currently-managing-in-England duo Pep Guardiola and Phillip Cocu as well as future Liverpool stars Pepe Reina and Boudewijn Zenden couldn’t break Liverpool down and the first leg was goalless. A rattling return leg atmosphere at Anfield was nearly silenced when Rivaldo and Luis Enrique went very close. The tension was palpable, even watching so long after the event. Gerrard could’ve been given a penalty after some great work but the Reds finally got a spot-kick on the stroke of half-time. Gary McAllister slotted home to send the home crowd into raptures. It’s a great penalty under the pressure, that. What I didn’t realise until re-watching is that this was only three days after his famous free-kick heroics at Goodison – the best week a Scot’s had since Alan Brazil visited the all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet. Sander Westerveld got extremely lucky with an airshot that nearly allowed Rivaldo a tap-in, before full-time finally blew and Anfield erupted. The back four were colossal, in particular Sami Hyypia and Jamie Carragher – who was at left-back. The only ones of a Liverpool persuasion who didn’t impress were the groundsmen; that pitch was a state. Next stop: Dortmund.
The opponents in the final were Spanish side Deportivo Alaves, who had battered Kaiserslautern to get there. It had been sixteen years since Liverpool were in a European final, so this was big. Kick-off in the superb Signal Iduna Park, as it is now known, was met with a roar from the travelling Liverpool fans – I can only imagine what a night it would have been for them. It was so odd watching a game at this iconic stadium without the accompanying ‘yellow wall’ that has become so synonymous with Borussia Dortmund, particularly on their run to the 2013 Champions League Final. Owen and Heskey started up front for Houllier, with Fowler on the bench. McAllister and Murphy operated the flanks with Gerrard and Dietmar Hamann between them, while the back four and goalkeeper was unchanged from the FA Cup Final which had been played just four days previously.
Liverpool made a bright start and were on the front foot early on and deserved to take the lead after exactly three minutes. McAllister whipped in a free-kick which was headed home by right-back Markus Babbel for the opening goal. I have seen plenty of Babbel whilst watching the 2001 treble, but this was the first time that the likeness between the German and my fellow Fans Corner writer James Martin struck me. Good goal, James. The second Liverpool goal was one that wouldn’t look out of place in a 2020 Jurgen Klopp team. Pressing from Owen and Heskey forced Alaves into a sloppy pass, which Owen pounced upon. The striker played a precise ball to the midfield runner Gerrard, and his shot beat the goalkeeper and Liverpool were 2-0 up after just 16 minutes – dreamland.
This Alaves team contained a number of namesakes of Liverpool players past and present – they had an Alonso, a Moreno and were managed by Mane. Liverpool by name and Liverpool by nature too – Alaves showed the kind of spirit and fight that characterises great Liverpool sides down the years and got themselves back in it. It was one of the name-sharers that got the goal, Ivan Alonso burying a header after rising above Babbel. The Spaniards came close twice more before the break, but Westerveld was equal to their efforts. Liverpool made their opposition pay and extended their lead just before half time. A threaded ball from Hamann inside his own half sent Owen through on goal. The striker was brought down by goalkeeper Martin Herrera, who was booked and a penalty was awarded. McAllister had developed a knack of being the man for the big occasion over the course of the season, and this was the case here too, banging home his penalty for a 3-1 lead at half-time.
In theory, that penalty just before half-time should’ve been the perfect time to score and restore the two-goal cushion. It should’ve killed Alaves off and turned the second half into a cruise control journey. This was absolutely not the case. Before we move onto the chaos that was the subsequent 45 minutes, a moment please to appreciate the moustache of Mark Lawrenson on punditry that night. Exceptional stuff. Alan Hansen, meanwhile, looks no different to how he does now. Alaves came out of the traps well and reduced the arrears three minutes into the restart. Cosmin Contra turned Jamie Carragher and sent in a cross towards Javi Moreno, who headed past Westerveld for 3-2. It got worse when a silly foul by Henchoz – shock horror – gifted Alaves a free-kick on the edge of the box. I loved seeing Gerrard organising of the wall, a show of his natural leadership. Unfortunately, the wall was stunned when Moreno ingeniously hit his free-kick under the wall after anticipating its jump. Westerveld was stranded and suddenly, Liverpool had blown a 3-1 lead.
Houllier was furiously scribbling notes on his paper (the sight of a manager writing things down seems to have been forgotten these days, but it’s a great throwback). Something had to give in order to change the flow of the game. Henchoz was sacrificed for Smicer on 55 minutes, meaning Babbel moved to centre-back and right-back was now none other than Steven Gerrard. Jamie Redknapp, so cruelly robbed of any involvement in the 2001 treble with injury, was in the stands, cheering his team-mates on, and the look of nerves on his face portrayed the ‘surely not?’ feeling of fans at the time. The next change was Heskey for Fowler, as one English striker replaced another.
This proved to be an inspired substitution. With eighteen minutes left, a slid pass from McAllister found Fowler, who shifted the ball to a central shooting position, before unleashing his strike into the bottom corner of the goal. Sometimes in finals, divine intervention takes place and it was the man Liverpool fans knew as ‘God’ who made it 4-3. The red flags were flying and the fans were singing. The team were ten minutes away from doing the treble. Owen was taken off for Patrik Berger, as Houllier tried to see the match out. The emotions were really starting to flow and the celebrations were just moments away. Then disaster struck. Alaves equalised from a corner with just over a minute left. Former Manchester United player (and son of the legendary Johan) Jordi Cruyff beat Westerveld to the ball and it was 4-4. Extra time, with the added excitement of golden goal.
Just over three minutes into extra time, Alaves thought they’d won the trophy but Alonso’s goal was rightly ruled out for offside. Magno Mocelin was sent off for a second bookable offence and Liverpool thought they’d made the advantage count when Fowler coolly slotted home after being played in by Berger, but he was offside. Remarkably, Alaves were reduced to nine men when captain Antonio Karmona brought down Smicer. From the resulting free-kick, swung in by McAllister on the left flank, the unfortunate Delfi Geli headed the ball into his own net. 5-4. Liverpool had won the UEFA Cup. Liverpool had won the treble.
The celebrations spilled onto the pitch instantly, although some players weren’t quite aware of the golden goal rule and were preparing to defend the kick-off! Houllier looked relieved, tired and proud as he embraced the first player he could find, which happened to be Danny Murphy. McAllister, who was named man of the match, was interviewed by BBC and remarked on Alaves’ comeback and how he felt like he was living a dream. Houllier’s name was serenaded by the travelling fans as they watched Liverpool lift their third trophy of the season, this one raised aloft by Fowler and Hyypia.
This was Liverpool’s third UEFA Cup win and that hasn’t been added to since, although we did come close in 2010 and 2016 in its current guise of the Europa League. It was also one of four European finals between Liverpool and Spanish clubs, the others being the 1981 European Cup v Real Madrid, 2016 Europa League v Sevilla and the 2018 Champions League v Real Madrid.
I can’t begin to imagine the rollercoaster of emotions while watching that final live. Goodness me. Nine goals, two red cards and two disallowed goals all in a European final to round off a treble. Unbelievable. The FA Cup was won just four days before this, and then three days later, Liverpool played Charlton in the final Premier League match – a game they had to win to qualify for the Champions League. They were up to the task and ran out 4-0 winners at the Valley.
A League Cup won on penalties. An FA Cup won with two minutes left. A UEFA Cup won in golden goal. A Champions League place secured on the final day. The 2001 treble should be remembered forever.
Daniel (@daykind19)
Daniel Daykin
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